Effects Of Distance From A Shelterbelt And Open Field On Soil Hydraulic Conductivity And Moisture Release Characteristics Of The Dry Northwestern Nigeria

Abstract

The effect of shelterbelt at three measurement positions (60, 120 and 180m) on the physical properties of semi-arid soil in the extreme North-Western Nigeria situated on the Southern fringes of the Sahara desert was studied. The effect of the shelterbelt on the hydraulic conductivity and moisture release characteristics along the measurement positions within the sheltered area were compared with the unsheltered area. There was statistical difference (P=0.05) between the sheltered and the open soils in their moisture release characteristics. Furthermore, the hydraulic conductivity also showed significant difference. The hydraulic conductivity (HC) for the open soil was 3.3cm.h-1 while the sheltered soil showed a mean value of 1.91cm.h-1. But the individual measurement positions of 60, 120 and 180m showed 1.60, 1.20, and 3.00cm.h-1 values respectively. The moisture released under different pressures for soils within the sheltered area was 20.8, 18.3 and 17.8% for 10 kpa within the different measurement positions (60,120 and 180m). At 1500kpa, the moisture released was 2.9, 5.0 and 3.8% at the three measurement positions respectively (60 120 and180m). The shelterbelt had positive effect on both the hydraulic conductivity and moisture release characteristics of the sheltered soil.

Keywords: Hydraulic conductivity, Moisture Release, shelterbelt, Characteristics, Nigeria.

Journal of Technology and Education in Nigeria Vol. 10 (1) 2005: pp. 20-26